Who stood out for the Arizona Cardinals with (most of) their regular players on the bench for the season opener?
Theo Mackie and Bob McManaman react to the Cardinals’ preseason loss to the Saints
On Wednesday, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon promised that “the dust hasn’t settled yet” when it comes to his team’s roster, but Tuesday’s cut day provided a pretty clear picture of what that roster will look like when they take the field in Buffalo next week.
With 10 days to go before the season starts, here are the Cardinals’ position groups, ranked from most encouraging to most concerning:
1. Running backs
James Conner, Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, DeeJay Dallas
Conner was one of the most productive running backs in the league by any metric last season, ranking third in rush yards per game (80.0) and fifth in yards per carry (5.0).
The advanced stats paint an even rosier picture. According to Next Gen Stats, Conner gained 1.02 rush yards per attempt above expectations. Over the course of the season, he added 211 yards above expectations due to blocking in front of him. Only two other backs – Christian McCaffrey and De’Von Achane – added more. His Pro Football Focus grade of 89.2 was the fourth-best among starting backs and the best mark of his career.
The only problem with Conner is his health. In his seven-year career, he has never played a full season. Now the Cardinals have a suitable replacement, Trey Benson, a third-round pick who has a rare blend of speed and power. Demercado is a strong pass catcher and Dallas is a threat in the return game.
Security
Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Joey Blount, Darren Hall
The Cardinals’ safeties are by far their best defensive group – and perhaps their best ever. Conner was more effective than Baker last season, giving the running back the edge. But the safeties are the only group where the Cardinals have multiple players ranked in the top 32 at their position.
Baker is coming off a down year but has six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro nods. Thompson has emerged as one of the league’s better strong safeties and can play throughout the defensive backfield. This year, the unit adds Taylor-Demerson, a fourth-round pick with electrifying speed who impressed in the preseason.
3. Tight End
Trey McBride, Elijah Higgins, Tip Reiman, Travis Vokolek
As of Week 8, McBride had 66 catches for 655 yards in 10 games. With a generation of tight end mainstays like Travis Kelce and George Kittle in the second half of their careers, he could soon be a top player at the position, alongside a group of rising stars like Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid.
Higgins and Reiman provide versatility at the position, with the Cardinals likely to rely more on multi-tight end sets this season. Higgins, a former receiver, excels as a pass catcher, while rookie Reiman is considered a blocking force.
4. Quarterback
Kyler Murray, Clayton Tune
If the Cardinals are one of the surprises of the NFL season in four months, it will be because of Murray. Since being selected first overall in 2019, he has proven his great talent time and time again. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and when the Cardinals started 2021 7-0, he was a contender for MVP.
In his first full season under a new regime, he’ll be looking to play at that level for 17 weeks. After a strong training camp – and with an improved team of playmakers around him – there’s no reason to believe he can’t do it.
5. Wide receiver
Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Zach Pascal, Chris Moore, Xavier Weaver
The four position groups mentioned above have proven themselves at the NFL level, but the Cardinals’ wide receivers have what it takes to establish themselves as a standout group this season. Harrison’s pedigree is well known, but Wilson and Dortch have also impressed in camp. Wilson, in particular, still has room to develop after rushing for 565 yards in 13 games as a third-round rookie.
If these three show the progress the Cardinals expect, the wide receivers should be significantly higher in this ranking next season.
6. Specialists
Matt Prater, Blake Gillikin, Aaron Brewer
Last year, Prater was 39 years old and made 84.8% of his field goal attempts and 9 of 12 from 50-plus yards. Only Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey was more successful from that distance. Gillikin, on the other hand, ranked ninth in net yards per punt. That’s a top-tier group.
7. Centre-back
Kyzir White, Mack Wilson Sr., Owen Pappoe
Surprisingly, the Cardinals only kept three inside linebackers. Their group at that position is solid, if unspectacular.
White played every snap before suffering a season-ending torn bicep in Week 11. He has performed near league average throughout his career, according to PFF. Wilson will now play alongside him after two years as a role player in New England. And Pappoe – a 2023 fifth-round pick – had an impressive preseason after playing just 114 snaps last season. None of the three are projected as game-changers, but the Cardinals have bigger concerns.
8. Offensive Line
Paris Johnson, Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Jonah Williams, Kelvin Beachum, Jon Gaines II, Isaiah Adams, Trystan Colon
In its preseason rankings, PFF rated the Cardinals’ offensive line as the 26th best in the league. Given that the unit doesn’t have any standout players, that’s understandable. But this group also doesn’t have any glaring holes, which is just as important.
The hope of this unit overperforming rests on Johnson moving from right tackle to left tackle and making the jump in his second year that so many linemen make as they adjust to the NFL.
9. Inner defense line
Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, Roy Lopez, LJ Collier, Dante Stills, Khyiris Tonga
The Cardinals’ defensive line desperately needs a strong rookie season from first-round pick Darius Robinson – and now he’s out for at least four weeks with a calf injury.
Still, this unit should be better than last season, when it allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL. Jones and Nichols are established NFL players who joined as free agents, while Lopez impressed in training camp. However, all three players have performed below league average for most of their careers, according to PFF. Robinson is the only player likely to prove to be a difference-maker, something he can’t do off the bench.
10.Cornerback
Sean Murphy-Bunting, Garrett Williams, Max Melton, Starling Thomas V, Kei’Trel Clark, Elijah Jones, Darren Hall
The Cardinals’ cornerbacks struggled last season, but there was reason to be optimistic going into training camp. The team drafted two rookies (Melton and Jones) on the second day, signed Murphy-Bunting and had three players entering their second seasons (Williams, Thomas and Clark). It’s a recipe for success.
Arizona Cardinals training camp: Observations from the media room
Arizona Republic sportswriters Theo Mackie and Bob McManaman discuss their observations at the Arizona Cardinals Red & White practice
But the results over the last month have been mixed. Williams had a strong training camp as the team’s starting nickelback, but Murphy-Bunting struggled in joint practices against the Colts. Melton played in the final preseason game, a sign he still has work to do. Jones has struggled and is unlikely to play a role anytime soon. Thomas had a solid training camp but allowed a passer rating of 142.8 when he was targeted as a rookie, making him one of the league’s weaker cornerbacks in that regard.
All in all, it’s hard to say who can compete here in the early going with receivers like Puka Nacua (Week 2), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Week 3), Terry McLaurin (Week 4) and Deebo Samuel (Week 5), but it could be a unit that gets better as the season goes on.
11. Edge Striker
Zaven Collins, Dennis Gardeck, Xavier Thomas, Victor Dimukeje, Jesse Luketa
Combined, the Cardinals’ five edge rushers have combined for 23.5 sacks in 204 career games. By comparison, TJ Watt — last season’s league leader — had 19 sacks in 17 games.
That’s a bit misleading, though, as many of those five players will play larger roles this year than they have for most of their careers. Collins is in his second year as an edge rusher after being drafted as an inside linebacker, and he’s optimistic about taking a step forward at the position. Gardeck, despite only recording six sacks, finished third in the NFL in pressure rate last year. And Thomas – a fifth-round pick but former five-star recruit – had an impressive training camp.
“I feel comfortable,” Gannon said when asked about his edge rushers. “I do. I know you guys might not feel comfortable, but that’s OK. That’s your opinion.”
Still, the reality remains that this group doesn’t have anyone who has proven they can produce sacks at the NFL level. BJ Ojulari’s torn ACL, suffered during training camp, has significantly hampered the unit’s potential.
